This invention relates to a tape running apparatus for use in a tape recorder or the like, more particularly an automatic tape apparatus for stopping the tape under abnormal conditions.
In a tape recorder, it is necessary to stop the running of the tape when the end of the tape is reached or under such abnormal conditions as bulging out or tangling of the tape in order to assure correct operation and to prevent damage or breakage of the tape as well as fault of the mechanical portions. Although various electrical and mechanical quick stopping devices have been used they are not always satisfactory. For example, according to an electrical stopping device, disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,488,019, the rotation of a reel driving member is electrically detected for a actuating tape stopping device so that when the reel driving member is caused to rotate in the reverse direction due to tangling of the tape it would be impossible to produce a stopping signal with the result that the tangling becomes more severe. On the other hand, since in a mechanical stopping device, the abnormal condition is detected by the abnormal tension of the tape it is impossible to detect such an abnormal condition as bulging which does not cause any abnormal tension of the tape. Moreover, as the abnormal condition is detected on the assumption that the tape runs at a constant speed it is impossible to detect the abnormal condition and to stop the tape under a high speed tape running condition which is several times greater than the recording or reproducing speed. For this reason, it is impossible to use a sufficiently high running speed as desired. As above described since detection of the end of the tape is difficult under the high speed running condition when the tape is locked under high speed running condition, it is impossible to unlock the tape by detecting the tape end so that it is necessary to effect the high speed running by manually depressing a button. Moreover, it is necessary to repeat several times the stopping and the starting of the high speed running when the tape end is reached. In the prior art automatic stopping device, it is liable to be held at the stopped state after the tape has stopped so that restarting of the tape can not be made smoothly.